Obituary: Bob ParkerRev. Bob Parker, age 89 of Russellville, died Monday, Dec. 5, 2016, at Baptist Health and Medical Center. He was born on June 11, 1927, in Palestine to Robert J. and Allie Jean Whittle Parker. He was the founder of The House of Praise in Russellville and was in the ministry for 59 years. He loved to study the Bible and travel. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his son, Dr. Dan R. Parker; a brother, Billy Gene Parker; and a...

Obituary: Linda Jo Stubbs-BrasselATKINS — Linda Jo Stubbs-Brassel of Russellville unexpectedly departed this life on Dec. 3, 2016, at UAMS in Little Rock. She was born Dec. 13, 1943, in Atkins, the daughter of the late Casey and Juanita Stubbs. She was preceded in death by a niece, Susan Heather Stubbs and a step-son, Billy Brassel II. Linda attended public schools in Atkins and graduated from Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, Calif. She married Bill Brassel in July ...

USS Arizona survivor heads to Pearl Harbor 75 years laterHONOLULU — Lauren Bruner was getting ready for church in 1941 on his battleship, the USS Arizona, when the alarm sounded. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor had begun, and Bruner, then 21, scampered up five stories by ladder to the enormous anti-aircraft guns he was responsible for manning. But bullets hit his left leg and explosions set off by the Sunday morning bombardment rocked his ship before he could get to the weapons. The ship sank ju...

Local man identified as boating victimDARDANELLE -- The Dardanelle Police Department said Tuesday the body found Thursday in the Arkansas River has been identified as John Hayes of Russellville. At approximately 4 p.m. on Thursday, the Yell County Mounted Patrol, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and Yell County Search and Rescue Dive Team recovered a body from a search and rescue call that began on the Arkansas River in Dardanelle on Wednesday. The original call to 911 dispatch o...

by
Courier Staff ReportsThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Five-vehicle wreck leaves one deadLITTLE ROCK — A five-vehicle accident resulted in the death of a Plainview man at approximately 6:25 a.m. on Monday near the intersection of State Highway 7 and State Highway 155 in Dardanelle. According to an Arkansas State Police report, a 2003 Ford Focus, a 2011 GMC pickup driven by Donald Trampp, 38, of Parks, a 2015 Ford F-250 driven by Larry Ellis, 53, of Plainview and a 2002 Dodge Ram driven by Travis Quinn, 45, of Pencil Bluff, were tr...

by
Courier Staff ReportsThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Fundraiser to benefit Russ Bus at Pediatrics PlusA fundraiser benefiting the Russ Bus will be from 1-2 p.m. today at Pediatrics Plus on North Sidney Avenue in Russellville. The fundraiser, called The Three C’s, will be conducted by brothers, Logan Drittler, 12, and Kasey Drittler, 9 and will have coffee, cocoa and chocolate bars for sale. The coffee and cocoa will be sold for $1 per large and $.50 per small and the chocolate bars will be $2 each. Kasey explained he heard about the Russ Bus w...

Stop yields $40,000 in marijuanaJose D. Rey, 33, and Edgar Lopez, 25, had their bond set at $25,000 each after Arkansas State Police allegedly discovered approximately $40,000 in marijuana in the vehicle they were driving eastbound on Interstate 40 near the 74 mile marker. The pair, who told District Judge Don Bourne they are from Los Angeles, were stopped on Friday around 2:50 p.m. in a white jeep sports utility vehicle for speeding and following too closely. When the offic...

by
BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
simpson@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

O Street: 20 percent completeEven though rain has halted excavation and construction, the O Street project is forecasted to be finished ahead of schedule. Kurt Jones, Public Works director, said excavation, laying stone bed material and installing storm drains have pushed the project to just shy of 20 percent of being completed. That type of work, though, is weather dependent, thus creating delays. But that hasn't slowed production. "We anticipated some bad weather," Jone...

by
BY SIERRA MURPHY
murphy@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Art Walk carolersTHE COURIER / Emily Srader Singers from ACME (Arkansas Center for Music Education), under the direction of Brian and Shirley Faulkner, sang Christmas carols Friday evening during the quarterly Russellville Downtown Art Walk. The event exhibited the talent of local artists, craftsmen and musicians. The Art Walk also showcased local businesses as the venues.

Tyson announces plans for $150 million venture fundSPRINGDALE — Arkansas-based Tyson Foods Inc. announced plans Monday to create a venture fund aimed at developing innovations in food production. The meat company, based in Springdale, said it will make $150 million available for Tyson New Ventures LLC, which it said would complement Tyson's continued investment in fresh meat, poultry and prepared foods. The venture fund's first investment is a 5 percent ownership stake in Beyond Meat, a Califo...

Wilderness photographer to visit ATUWilderness photographer Tim Ernst will present a program entitled "Arkansas In My Own Backyard" on Thursday, Dec. 8, at Arkansas Tech University. The program will begin at 7 p.m. at the Doc Bryan Student Services Center Lecture Hall, which is located at 1605 Coliseum Drive in Russellville. Admission will be free and open to the public. The Arkansas Tech Department of Parks, Recreation and Hospitality Administration, TAKAHIK River Valley Hikers...

Dover school green lights $600 bonusThe Dover School Board voted to approve a $600 bonus payment for all contracted employees at a special called meeting Nov. 30. Superintendent Jerry Owens said a closer examination of the school finances had led him to recommend the payment, which it said earlier might not be prudent in light of the school decreasing enrollment. He also said it was important that employees receiving the payment understand the regulations requiring deductions fr...

Health care tab hits $3TWASHINGTON -- The nation's health care tab grew at the fastest rate in eight years in 2015, driven by the coverage expansion in President Barack Obama's law and by costly prescription drugs, the government said Friday. The growth of 5.8 percent in 2015 boosted total health care spending to $3.2 trillion. That's an average of $9,990 per person, although the vast share of that money is spent caring for the sickest patients. Health spending grew ...

Dardanelle Christmas paradeAs numerous spectators anxiously awaited the parade, Santa Claus, Darth Vadar, a living Nativity, elves, The Grinch and others made their way down Union and Front Street as part of Dardanelle’s annual Christmas parade on Friday night.

Math a concern for US teens; science, reading flat on testWASHINGTON — American students have a math problem. The latest global snapshot of student performance shows declining math scores in the U.S. and stagnant performance in science and reading. "We're losing ground — a troubling prospect when, in today's knowledge-based economy, the best jobs can go anywhere in the world," said Education Secretary John B. King Jr. "Students in Massachusetts, Maryland, and Minnesota aren't just vying for great job...

Obituary: Anastacia MitchellAnastacia “Anna” Mitchell, age 76, of Dover, went home to be with the Lord Monday, Dec. 5, 2016. The funeral service will be at 2 p.m., Thursday, at World Harvest Baptist Church under the direction of Shinn Funeral Service of Russellville. Visitation is from 5 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday at the funeral home. The full obituary will run in later edition of The Courier and online at www.shinnfuneral.com

Obituary: Edith SbaboEdith Mae Sbabo, 87, of Russellville, died Sunday, Dec. 4, 2016, at Russellville Nursing and Rehab in Russellville. A full obituary will be in a future edition of The Courier. Arrangements are under the direction of Humphrey Funeral Service.

Obituary: Linda Stubbs-BrasselATKINS — Linda Jo Stubbs-Brassel, of Russellville, unexpectedly departed this life on Dec. 3, 2016, at UAMS in Little Rock. The family will receive friends one hour prior to services. Funeral services are at 3 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 8, at Lemley Chapel with Rev. James Findley officiating. Private burial is in Atkins City Cemetery under the direction of Lemley Funeral Service of Atkins. A complete obituary will appear in a future edition of The C...